Chapter 114: with translation of chapter title

Although Pei Shangling was imprisoned, Pei Yunxi remained uneasy; the matter was not over, and Father Emperor's attitude was also vague.

Pei Yunxi thought it was all Pei Shangling's fault!

If it weren't for his timely arrival, everything would have gone smoothly, and Mu Yuanzhi would now be a corpse!

As he left, Pei Yunxi glanced resentfully at Mu Yuanzhi, who stared straight ahead, not wanting to see his face.

She left Xuanshi Hall and went to Wuming Palace to visit the Grand Empress Dowager, who could now sit up, although her complexion was still poor.

After this, the Grand Empress Dowager's diet and everything else needed strict control.

Mu Yuanzhi chatted with the Grand Empress Dowager for a while and then left; just before leaving, she couldn't help saying what she had thought long: "Grand Empress Dowager, why not move somewhere to recuperate? I recall an empress dowager from our ancestors who retired to Jiangnan, where the scenery is lovely and ideal for convalescence."

The Grand Empress Dowager snorted: "You mean I should avoid Pei Yunxi?! Do I still need to avoid such a vicious, scheming woman?!"

She coughed fitfully from anger, and Zhang Mama and Mu Yuanzhi hurried to pat her back and chest to ease her breath.

"That's not what I meant; you shouldn't get angry over a petty clown. Look at her—she only annoys you. Just mentioning her makes you furious." Mu Yuanzhi could only say what the Grand Empress Dowager liked to hear.

The Grand Empress Dowager huffed again: "Don't try to placate me; I just want to watch how many days this poisonous woman can live! I actually have such unworthy descendants! The Pei lineage is surely no good—except for my son!"

She added one last remark.

"Don't be angry, Grand Empress Dowager, have a grape—your favorite." Maiden Shu'er presented a plate of tribute grapes.

After eating the sweet fruit, the Grand Empress Dowager's mood improved slightly, and she told Mu Yuanzhi: "You must be careful in everything; that venomous woman has too many schemes, impossible to guard against. Unfortunately, few in this palace see clearly; they're all muddleheaded fools blinded by lard."

"Rest assured, great-grandmother, I will certainly not let her off!" Mu Yuanzhi said through gritted teeth.

New and old grudges—she must have Pei Yunxi dead!

After leaving Wuming Palace, Mu Yuanzhi went to see the Qilin again, but it was under house arrest; she could only glance from afar, and hearing from someone inside Wuming Palace that the Qilin was resting put her somewhat at ease.

Originally Wuming Palace had no palace staff, but because the Qilin needed confinement, the emperor specially assigned a few attendants; Mu Yuanzhi took the opportunity to pick them herself, choosing a few who didn't look sharp-eyed.

"You must take good care of Lord Qilin; report any matter immediately to me at Weiyang Palace." Mu Yuanzhi said while handing over several ingots of gold.

Those servants, seeing this, dared not accept, hastily refusing: "These are just our duties."

"Take it; there will be more rewards later. As long as Lord Qilin is safe, do you understand?" Mu Yuanzhi insisted on giving, and indeed wanted to give that much.

This money equals a year's salary for them.

Only then did the servants accept, and they swore: "Your Highness, please rest assured; we will do our utmost to look after Lord Qilin!"

Mu Yuanzhi finally smiled again, returned to Weiyang Palace, wrote a letter to Gu Rongjin, had someone deliver it, and informed him of today's events.

I wonder if that guy is at the princess's residence? He probably is, since the emperor now forbids him from leaving the capital.

At dawn the next day, Pei Shangyan arrived; Weiyang Palace had no attendants, so he passed through unhindered.

"Little sister Zhi!" Pei Shangyan didn't sit; he kept standing, waiting for Mu Yuanzhi to come out.

Mu Yuanzhi, without courtesy, issued the expulsion order: "Get out."

"Little sister Zhi, tell me what exactly happened yesterday? Why did Lord Qilin fall victim to gu poison? Why did Father Emperor imprison the fourth brother and also forbid the younger sister from returning to the princess's residence?"

A heap of sudden events kept him from sleeping well; at the fifth watch he went to the Imperial Court of Justice, but the minister there would not let him see Pei Shangling.

He also didn't know how the fourth brother was faring in the heavenly prison.

"Tell you? Sure." Mu Yuanzhi nodded: "It's simple—Pei Yunxi poisoned the Qilin to force me to die, a life for a life, and Pei Shangling covered for Pei Yunxi, so the emperor threw him in jail."

Pei Shangyan, hearing this, felt as if struck by lightning; he shook his head in disbelief, wanting to speak, but Mu Yuanzhi cut him off.

"Knowing you don't believe me, shut up and get out—stop calling me 'little sister' over and over, it makes me sick. Now just hearing you say 'little sister' makes me want to vomit; don't make me throw up on your face, Crown Prince."

Pei Shangyan felt bitter inside; he hadn't even spoken yet, but she had already decided he would unconditionally believe the younger sister and doubt her.

But aren't these precisely his own doing?

He had indeed always favored the younger sister before; whenever their accounts differed, he would certainly choose to believe her.

Perhaps, subconsciously, he was also swayed by the bonds of blood, thinking the younger sister, being his own, must be kind and never lie, while Little Sister Zhi, spoiled by them, could do anything without surprise.

"No, Little Sister Zhi, hear me out!" Pei Shangyan anxiously defended himself: "I don't disbelieve you, nor am I trying to argue for the younger sister; I just want to understand the full story and know the truth!"

"Truth? Full story? Didn't I already say it? It's your own disbelief; what more do you need to know? You could go ask Pei Shangling to see how he excuses your younger sister, or ask your younger sister to see how she cries; once you soften, the matter would be settled—it's all my fault."

After finishing her sarcasm, Mu Yuanzhi walked outward; if he didn't roll away, she would leave!

"Little Sister Zhi!"

Pei Shangyan very much wanted to chase after her, but his feet felt as if weighed down by a thousand jin.

He doesn't disbelieve; he wants to know why? Why did the younger sister act that way? What quarrel arose between her and Little Sister Zhi? What conflict demands a life-or-death showdown? Can he mediate and restore their former harmony?

Perhaps he really ought to think of a way to see the fourth brother and hear what he has to say.

As Mu Yuanzhi had just left Weiyang Palace, a palace attendant told her that Gu Rongjin had come and asked her to meet him at the old place.

What old place?

Mu Yuanzhi was completely bewildered; when had they developed such a coded phrase between them?

She really couldn't think of it.

Officials cannot enter the inner palace, so it definitely isn't there; then where is it?

Is it her usual haunt?

Somehow, Mu Yuanzhi suddenly thought of a place.

A place where they first met; if it weren't that, she truly couldn't think of any other old place.

What time is it, and he's still playing!